January 29, 2014

A friend sent me this picture earlier in the week with the caption, "Too bad we're at work...."

A big WNW swell has been hitting Los Angeles all week, but I'm likely going to miss it because the sun comes up as I'm on my way to work, and goes down before I get home. To make matters worse, my car broke down last week, so the bus has doubled my commute time, making an early evening surf session impossible.
The swell is weakening as the week goes by, from what I hear, so by the time Saturday hits, I'll have missed the best parts. So what do I do in a crisis such as this? I've narrowed it down to a few options:

Quit my job and go surfing

Call in "sick" and go surfing

Miss the swell

The first option sounds pretty appealing, but not so practical. Number two is against my code of ethics. So that leaves option three -- and with it comes two sub-options: complain or deal with it. And so I sit at my desk, looking out the window as the wind gently pushes the palm trees outside, imagining those palm trees were beachfront and that I was there, catching what could be the best waves of my life.
But would they be the best waves of my life? Maybe. But they could also end up being big ugly close-outs that are next-to-impossible to drop in on.

I'll never know, and that's where the anxiety lies -- missing out on unknown potential.
Fear of missing out is an epidemic running rampant these days, usually tied to social media. But surfers have been feeling this for decades, as the responsibilities of life often don't line up with nature's gifts. Even when we're on the water, you hear arguments because other surfers snake waves. Or maybe you get mad because you slipped on that last drop in and you swear it was going to be the best wave you've ever ridden.

Take delight, even on a crappy day -- fun is what it's all about, right?

Expectation and imagined potential are the enemies here. I can sit at my desk and picture perfect barrels over my head, when in reality it's probably as dumpy as the aftermath of my last Taco Bell visit. I can look at a wave and imagine myself hitting every corner, spraying beautiful ocean mist over all the applauding onlookers...but we all know that's not happening.
I'm not one to preach realistic expectations in life, but avoiding regret in the water (and life) involves a healthy balance between optimism and reality.

The other key to fighting FOMO is being happy where you're at (aka - contentment). After all, if you're stuck dwelling on missed opportunities, you won't be living optimally in the moment.
Yeah, I missed the peak part of the swell, but maybe I'll catch some nice waves on Saturday...and it might be huge, or it could be a bust. But as any surfer will tell you, "It's always nice to get out on the water," and that's enough.

Everyone deals with this -- anybody have more tips for enjoying life when you can't make the swell?

I don't want to write too much, because these notes below have a lot of good information from the sermon - please read and consider them. I will say, though, that as I revisit this sermon, something feels missing...

Renewing your mind is a bit of an abstract concept, and even though Joseph gives some practical insights below, applying ideas that aren't concrete or fully understood seems like an empty practice. Sometimes depending on Jesus as a person even seems too abstract to accomplish, but what God's been teaching me lately is that scripture is where to begin on this.

If you're struggling with something, lack direction or feel like you're missing out on Jesus as a person, go to the bible. Really study, deep and thoughtful. Ponder the words, whether you understand them or not. Pray about them. God will show up. I promise. I'm going through it now, and it's funny how simple it can be, but also how easy it is to ignore God's word in your life (as if there is some kind of enemy keeping you from it...hmm...?).

Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Notes:

Worship = a fixation on something that re-orients our lives; a way of responding that is all in

God wants to change your life

Think about the gravity of that principle -- He doesn't just want to add to life, He wants to alter your existence

January 21, 2014

That's an interesting title for the second sermon in the "All In" series, isn't it? In here, Joseph says some things about being "present" in worship. Lately, living in the present moment is something that has been coming up a bit in my life, so I'll write about that...

I listened to this quick video, which talks about how often "today" is used in the bible...

2 Corinthians 6:2 - "For God says, 'At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of
salvation, I helped you.' Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the
day of salvation."

So much of our lives are about tomorrow (the next job, retirement, buying a house), and I'd wager that a lot of our prayers are similar. But God is here, right now; active today. How does that affect you?

The other day I was trying to put myself in the mindset that God is taking care of me right now. In that place, I literally don't have to worry about anything because God is real, and has promised to take care of me. Try and exist in that moment - where God is literally holding you in His hand. You are sustained, right now, because of God. That's beautiful and freeing.

I have been pretty stressed this week with an overload of responsibilities and activities outside of work; so much so that I woke up this morning with a headache just trying to figure out how I'm going to do everything I need to do. On the way to work, I was thinking about how there was literally nothing at that moment I could do to help me finish any of those things, and so what was the point of worrying about them? This isn't a reckless abandonment of responsibility, but rather existing in the moment, because that's all I have.

January 14, 2014

It's been a while since I've posted. The holidays slowed me down a bit, and I've also been surf blogging for StoreYourBoard.com! Check out the blog here.

Now, back to sermons and such...

Here is the first in a series from Joseph Barkley at Ecclesia Church...ALL IN! It's a study of Romans 12, and this first sermon is a quick summary of Romans 1-11.

Joseph talks about how there are certain things in life you can't do halfway, like cartwheels or backflips. I would add dropping into a vert ramp (watch Jason do it in this video at 4:27).

I remember dropping into that same vert on a skateboard -- it took me about an hour of staring over the edge in fear. It's especially scary because you can't do it halfway or ease into it. You either drop in and roll to the other side, or you fall -- all or nothing.

All or nothing is a scary concept, but isn't that the way to live? As the Avett Brothers sing, "One foot in and one foot back, but it don't pay to live like that. So I cut the ties and I jumped the tracks, for never to return." That really resonates with me, as I want to make sure my time here is well-spent. Given the choice, wouldn't you pick a risky and fulfilling life over a comfortable one? It's dangerous, but as skateboarding has taught me, things are more fun with a little danger mixed in.

The sermon can be found here: http://www.churchinhollywood.com/media.php?pageID=15

This letter is Paul arming the Roman church with information on how what God was doing through them relates to the rest of the world/culture

Lots of "-tions"

Condemnation: we all deserve judgement

Predestination: God chose us before the world began

Glorification: God will see us through to the end, until we become the people He knows we can be

Propitiation: God's wrath has been satisfied - He is not angry anymore

He was angry at our separation from Him because of, and the destruction caused by, sin

Justification: We are not guilty

Redemption: Everything is forgiven

Regeneration: We are reborn - a new creation

Reconciliation: We are not enemies of God, but friends

Adoption: We are more than friends, we are children of God

Sanctification: the ongoing work of God in our lives to grow us more into Christ's likeness

Ch. 1-3: Bad news first - what humans are like

We are born with a destiny of death in sin

There is nothing we can do about it

We are born a little out of place - we have a soul that longs for more than we can provide for ourselves

After this...God knew about this, and was willing to do what we couldn't do to fix it

The cross does this, which is only received by faith

You have to trust that this is enough...it's not the cross + __________.

This begins to unravel everything we thought we could get out of life

In light of this faith, our new nature begins to take shape

Romans 6:18 - "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."

We have been freed from our old destiny - Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul says most of the time he feels like a failure

The well-worn ruts of our old direction

This is a new war within us, and our tendency is to fall back towards modifying behavior

The answer is "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1

As you trust God more, you can have complete peace because this is not going anywhere.

This is available to everybody

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to
offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this
is your true and proper worship."- Romans 12:1

God wants complete surrender - your whole self, all in.

John 12:24-25 "Listen
carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the
world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried,
it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way,
anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you
let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and
eternal."

Love God with all your heart, soul, strength

In view of this complete surrender, we are no longer entitled to anything in this life

We have a tendency to trade "all-in" for rituals and behavior.

We become afraid that God will ask us to do something weird (live in a hut in Africa and never get married)

God is a father, the best Father, so we can trust that He knows and does what is best for us

"All-in" also is way better than anything we can get in life

We are not asked to give up, but trade up

We have given ourselves to something (a dream, relationship, identity), so why not give everything to Someone who knows us and how precious we are?

Be honest with God, who is asking for everything...talk to Him about that.